


Only Only

by MiladyAlluca



Category: Free!
Genre: Dumb college babies, Fluff, M/M, jealous Haru, vague mature content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-20
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-03-08 10:26:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3205859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiladyAlluca/pseuds/MiladyAlluca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru may have always been a little bit jealous when it came to Makoto's attentions, acting out on those feelings makes for an amusing dinner party with Makoto's classmates at least.  The consolation afterward may have made it all worth it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only Only

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArturoSavinni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArturoSavinni/gifts).



> My gift for ArturoSavinni from a MakoHaru secret santa event on tumblr :>  
> I'm so sorry for the choppiness, I had trouble working around the jealousy prompt and worried I was going in a yandere direction sometimes and kept rewriting things orz; I wanted to keep things on a sweeter side but I wonder if it's too subtle - I hope you like it though ;v;

Physical closeness was an odd concept for him to wrap his mind around.

The way his tall best friend walked, how he stood casually, how he stood when surrounded by other students…the empty space between them was solid and Haru liked it best when it was gone. 

Makoto put one foot in front of the other in practiced balance and with his hands tucked near his pockets or holding onto his bag strap.  Casually, his shoulders loosened in relaxation and he moved in little ways, small tilts of his head and affectionate smiles, his hands held up and fingers spread in tiny gestures far more gentle than someone of his frame would be guessed to make.  Around acquaintances, Makoto's shoulders drew up tighter, his smile was thinner and his brow turned up as though he tried to make himself seem smaller.

But when they were alone, Haru found a different sensation altogether with every shade of Makoto and something more.  The combination of those gentle little gestures, a worried brow, tight shoulders and warm smiles had Haru over the moon and it wasn't until near the end of high school when it hit him altogether.

He loved Makoto.

This was a bit of a grand realization as it made every private moment spent with the bashful brunet all the more special and coveted and something Haru tucked away as precious.

Even if he didn't fully understand how to articulate those thoughts into words.

* * *

The first love letter Makoto received in school after Haru acknowledged his own feelings sent pangs of troubled anxiety to his gut.  His silence had caused Makoto to worry after him and escort him to the nurse who suggested he stay in the infirmary and lie down.  But that would mean leaving Makoto alone out of his sight and that was even WORSE.

When Makoto told him he would have to confront the girl to return the letter and tell her he didn't share her feelings, Haru's aches slowly faded away and he waited around the corner of the school building as Makoto awkwardly declined the letter.  They walked home, Makoto looking worse for wear and discouraged after seeing the girl's sad face.  Not knowing what else he could say or do, Haru thanked him for staying with him when he felt ill.  The tall boy had brightened up a bit after that.

Every time a letter appeared in his shoe locker, Makoto looked a little more troubled.  The walks home those days would be a little quieter and the air a little heavier.  Haru didn't always know anything to say, but walking closer or even just saying nothing at all seemed to still bring a small smile out of his best friend.

Haru found the next letter, sitting atop Makoto's shoes like any other.  Before the brunet arrived to switch out of his school slippers, Haru took the letter and hid it in his blazer.  Makoto arrived not long after with a wide smile, thanking Haru for waiting for him.  They walked home, Makoto none the wiser and with a smile on his face.  The letter burned against Haru's chest and just before they parted he knew he couldn't go through with it.

Makoto was surprised and confused at first, when he showed the letter to him.  And then he was quiet, staring at the envelope as though it were heavy in his hands.  That was the worst part, when he said nothing.  But then he looked up and the troubled look melted into something else, and he smiled a small smile for Haru.

"Thank you, Haru." For wanting to protect you?  For being honest with you?  For not hiding that person's feelings?  Haru couldn't be sure and it made his stomach twist.

The next day at school, when Makoto sought the girl out to return the letter, Haru was close behind as always, but this time within earshot.

"You're very sweet but I'm sorry I can't return your feelings.  I like someone else."

That made Haru's stomach twist into several more knots.

After that the letters slowly stopped, and a little whispered rumor passed from ear to ear that Tachibana Makoto from Class A liked someone.  Someone older, someone younger, someone in another school, always someone else.  After awhile, Makoto stopped holding his breath when he opened his shoe locker.

After awhile, Haru stopped carrying an empty envelope in his blazer.  He was grateful Makoto never wanted to bring the letters back up and talk about them.  The thought just reminded Haru that those girls did still have something he didn't.

The courage to say anything at all.

* * *

Everything changed during a sleepover study with just themselves and no Rin, Nagisa, or Rei added to the mix.

Their haphazard confession was full of awkward staring, wide eyes and trembling lips and Haru grasping Makoto's hand so tightly they'd both lost feeling in their fingers.  The darkness of Haru's bedroom did little to hide their mutual shock and surprise and excitement and the hesitant smiles lifting the corners of their lips.  They forgot who said what first.  Haru pulled his blanket off his bed to join Makoto in the spare futon on the floor – their study sleepover becoming far more productive than exam results could ever show.

"Say it again?" Haru had whispered.  Makoto had squeaked and groaned into the pillow.

"Ha-Haru…I…like you…" he stammered.

_'Never tell that to anyone else'_ was the only thing running through Haru's head as his heart hammered so loud in his chest he wondered if Makoto could hear it.  He was drowning in it.

"Makoto…"

"Haru too…could you say it?" Makoto's voice quivered in the dark.

"I like Makoto." Somehow the words came out in one breath.

"Could you say it slower?  Please?" The breathlessness of his voice made Haru's heart jump to his throat.

"Makoto, I…"

* * *

Studying together for college entrance exams had been a feat of determination and will power.  They hadn't known one another long enough for it to end yet with too far of a separation.  Years and years would never be enough.  If they couldn't get in the same school they'd at least go for schools close enough to one another to not be too far apart.

One such cram night at Makoto's place, books spread across the floor and their backs to one another on Makoto's bed, Haru became alert to quiet sniffling.  Turning around, he and nudged the back of the brunet's neck with his nose.

"I…I was thinking that I wouldn't see you each day.  That would be too weird, I don't…I don't want that," he stuttered in a harsh whisper into the dark.

"Me too.  I wouldn't want that." 

Tentatively, Haru slid an arm around Makoto's waist, pulling him closer against him, all hard muscle and soft fragile flesh that was too warm.

"What do you want?" Makoto breathed quietly.

"I want to meet you each day."

"And?"

"I want to touch you."

"…And?"

"I want to eat mackerel with you."

Makoto's chuckles were muffled by the pillow he pushed his face into.  When Haru made to sit up, Makoto stopped him.

"I don't want you to see my face right now…it's gross," he whimpered.

"Then I'll look at your back."

When results of their applications came back, they realized they had gotten into several of the same schools together.  Picking one that truly suited both of them without holding one or the other back took a couple weeks but they locked in their enrollment before the deadline.

Haru's parents got him a small apartment close to the campus.  Makoto moved into student housing just off campus with an assigned student roommate.

On their first day of classes, they met up several times throughout the day at designated checkpoints.

On their second day of classes, while walking to a local food stop, their hands were too close and their fingers soon intertwined.

On their third day of classes, Haru brought Makoto a bento filled with mackerel.  He thought it a rather noble gesture.

Makoto laughed so hard that he wiped away tears from his lashes.

On their twenty-third day of classes, Makoto went to stay at Haru's apartment overnight.  Haru wore his shirt in the morning and made mackerel for breakfast wile Makoto slept shirtless but soundly in his bed.

On their thirty-something day of classes, Makoto gave himself to Haru.  Makoto woke up early to make breakfast – not mackerel – while wearing Haru's apron over top nothing but a pair of boxers he'd picked up off the floor.  When Haru kissed the back of his neck in morning greeting, he pointed out those were his underwear.

They stopped counting altogether.

* * *

"Where?" Haru asked, looking up to Makoto with a brow slightly raised.

"Ah well, they said that restaurant near Y station.  Can you come tonight?" the tall boy asked, brow knit together and nervous smile in place.

Haru shrugged and nodded, gesturing to the open space beside him on the bench.  Makoto gave a sigh of relief as he sat down, pulling an apple from his backpack as Haru turned a page in his book.

"So your classmates from your Monday class are going?  What's the occasion?" Haru asked curiously, surprising Makoto a bit in his newfound interest in the invitation.

"Ah, I don't think there is one?  My project partner mentioned wanting to introduce me to some people wanting to meet me," the brunet shrugged, taking a bite of his apple.  If there was one person in the world who could eat one quietly, it was Makoto of all people.

"Sounds like a mixer." Haru offered blankly, though his dark blue eyes looked up and through his bangs to watch Makoto's face as realization dawned on him.

"Oh…oh." He stared quietly at his jean-clad knees before laughing a little nervously. "That…makes more sense why they asked if I had a girlfriend…I didn't think about it like that."

"Hm."

"Ah Haru, don't worry about coming anymore, I'll just decline,"

"No, I'll definitely come." he said seriously, looking away from his book entirely to stare up at Makoto.

"O-oh, then…?"

"Because you don't have a girlfriend."

Though Makoto still looked a bit troubled, a relieved smile bubbled up to his face and he chuckled softly.  Haru offered a small half-smile and glanced back to his book when Makoto resumed eating and checked his phone for mail.  Pursing his lips, he wondered just how many people would be there – particularly because Makoto didn't have a girlfriend. 

Makoto really was too trusting and oblivious.

* * *

Makoto had arrived at the meeting place outside the campus gate with Haru in tow to be greeted by several friendly and curious faces.  They introduced themselves, a few noting their second or third year rank and making jokes about the tall underclassman much to Makoto's embarrassment.  Haru let Makoto introduce him for the most part, mentioning he was on the school's swim team.  The girls tittered how Makoto's friend must be the 'cool and silent type' while a few others wondered aloud "So that Nanase is 'Haru-chan'?"

The restaurant near Y station was lively but not overly crowded on a Thursday night at least.

Their group met with another mixed group and sat at a large table, Haru getting an end seat with Makoto squeezed between him and one of his upperclassmen friends.  A few others quickly introduced themselves to Makoto and showed interest in Haru as well, which he was mostly indifferent to but feeling Makoto's nervous gaze on him had him nodding at the right times during conversation at least.

"So Makoto!  How long have you and Nanase been friends?" one of the new girls asked, smiling brightly.

"Yeah, you seem so close!" another student chimed in.

"Ah, since we were little," Makoto grinned bashfully into his juice drink, glancing at Haru from the corner of his eye.  "Haru and I have always been together, I guess! Right, Haru?" the brunet said brightly, nudging the dark haired boy gently with his arm.

"Mm-hm," he nodded, glancing from Makoto to the other students curiously.  They seemed to be watching the tall boy just as intently.

As suspicious as Haru was going into the meet up, he couldn't help acknowledging how Makoto seemed to be excited to be out.  Clearly he liked this group and thought well enough about the others, and Haru wasn't honestly getting any bad vibes from any of them…but…

The lingering glances he noticed some of them giving Makoto left him restless.  His fingers tapped quietly on the table until he folded them tightly together to keep still.  He didn't want to be annoyed.  He didn't want to be agitated.  He wanted Makoto to have fun with friends while Haru monitored the situation to prevent any "mixer" related mishaps.  But he also was looking forward to leaving and how he'd be the only one with Makoto, then.

One of the students from the other group asked him about swimming and he actually conversed for a bit, glancing out of the corner of his eye to watch Makoto every so often as another joined his own conversation.  The atmosphere lightened up a bit, until one of the others started asked to switch seats to sit next to Makoto.

Haru bristled and dropped his hand under the table to squeeze at his own thigh, hoping his opinion of that request didn't show on his face.

"Ah but isn't the food coming soon? It'd be bad to trouble the waiting staff by moving," the brunet spoke up awkwardly, offering an apologetic smile to the somewhat disappointed student.

"Tachibana's so polite!  What a sweet guy," another chimed in.

"Oi Nanase, was Makoto always like this?"

Haru looked up and nodded. 

"He's always been himself, I like that Makoto best," he added nonchalantly as Makoto's face colored red and he pressed his hands down atop his thighs.

"H-Haru!"

A few looks were exchanged across the table as Makoto whined to his friend but everyone looked up when their waitress came by with another waiter and refilled their drinks.  When he went to take a sip of his mixed juice, the brunet's eyes widened when Haru's fingers came to rest over the back of his hand on his thigh.

Saying nothing, he shrugged his shoulders and gently moved one finger to brush against Haru in acknowledgement.  Not to push away, but welcome it.

Conversation continued, Haru paying a bit more attention to Makoto's conversation as he was nearly interrogated about his preferences and hobbies, earning adoring sounds with many of his responses.  He was still rather oblivious to how he was answering, though it pleased Haru somewhat to hear it. 

"I love cats, but the goldfish Haru got for me might have been my favorite?"

"Swimming is my favorite hobby, when I swim with Haru it's refreshing - he's amazing in the water."

"Oh?  I think kids are cute, I have two younger siblings.  Haru would stay over to help me watch them all the time."

When appetizers arrived, the group shared a few plates of finger food.  Some sauce had caught on Makoto's finger that he absently licked off before reaching for another piece of food when his fingers brushed over one of the girls' as she went to grab the same thing.

"Ah, sorry!" he started, brow furrowing as his hand recoiled back.  The girl smiled and brought a piece of the food up to her mouth.

"No no, it's okay!  It's like an indirect kiss or something," she teased with a laugh as she bit into the food.  The table shared a laugh though Makoto looked a little mortified.  Haru sat silently beside him staring blankly at the plate of food for a moment too long. 

It would be too telling to stare at the girl.

When their main course arrived, conversation turned slower and more casual.  Before he really realized it and out of habit, Makoto turned to Haru with his fork raised and hand cupped beneath it.

"Oh Haru, have you tried this before?" he asked curiously.

Haru caught himself before moving and for a split second he considered his options.  But one look at one of the other students that had been watching Makoto longer than the others and Haru had made his mind up.  He leaned forward to take the bite, his lips very clearly touching the fork that had been in Makoto's mouth not moments ago.  And then the brunet realized what they'd done and who in front of.

"Aw I want Tachibana to feed me, too!" one of the other classmates keened across the table.

Makoto sat gaping like a fish as his eyes widened.  Haru narrowed his eyes and took the window to take the fork from Makoto and scoop up some of his own food.  Holding it up with a neutral look, he bumped his knee against Makoto's under the table to get his attention.  Bright green flashed to him for rescue and froze on the food being offered up to him.

"Makoto, you too," Haru said, for all purposes normal as usual but somehow loud enough to make a point.

Swallowing nervously, Makoto's brow knit but he lowered his head to accept the bite, his lips touching the fork they'd both now shared.  His face looked flushed and Haru watched him chew and swallow curiously.

"Good?" he asked.

Makoto nodded his head slightly, pursing his lips and looking away to take a long drink from his juice as the others tittered around the table.  Haru seemed entirely unaffected and took another bite from Makoto's plate before returning the fork to which Makoto murmured a quiet thanks with red cheeks.

Haru glanced up almost defensively at first, wondering if his display would be enough to discourage any further pressing.  A few amused smiles in particular caught him off guard, though a look or two of disappointment did more than make him feel a bit victorious in a little place in the corner of his chest.

" _Newlyweds_ …" one of the students from Makoto's group murmured amusedly in a stage whisper.

"Can't beat that," the upperclassman beside Makoto sighed, flashing a toothy grin at Haru over Makoto's shoulder.  "Explains why Makoto is always 'Haru-chan this' and 'Haru-chan' that!"

"Ahnm!" Makoto sputtered into his glass, head snapping up like a bird. 

For whatever reason, that quieted Haru into his own little wash of a flush and he shifted beside Makoto in their seats.  He settled some when he felt Makoto's foot nudge against his own sneaker – a reassuring presence.

The rest of dinner progressed amiably and Haru found himself less concerned with how the others were looking at or talking to Makoto.  Though it didn't hurt that Makoto allowed him to place his hand on Makoto's jean-clad thigh under the table.

Physical contact was reassuring.  It was also something that certainly none of the others could hope to have, and that thought alone had Haru rather pleased with himself.

As the after-dinner coffee was finished up and a few numbers and emails exchanged for future meet up purposes, the group milled about on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.

"It's not too late, we could go get drinks somewhere?" one of the upperclassmen suggested.  While the others chattered happily at the idea, Makoto was getting another classmate's contact info, Haru standing beside him and nearly pressing into his arm as he seemed to watch over his personal space.

When Makoto's friend who had sat next to him approached, Haru greeted him with a leer and raised eyebrow.

"Are you two wanting to come along?"

"Oh, well, we're not…and I promised to study over at Haru's place tonight," Makoto admitted, giving an apologetic smile.  His classmate's brows rose a little but he smiled.

"So you really are just that honest," he laughed, shrugging casually. 

"Maybe next time, then.  And sorry for dragging you into this, didn't really think about…" he nodded towards Haru and Makoto tilted his head curiously.  "Well anyway, we get it now!  It was fun tonight and we should all go out again sometime, nice finally meeting the boyfriend, Haru-chan!" he grinned toothily, laughing when  Haru's face pinched at the nickname.

"Have fun studying, you two!"

Makoto watched blankly as his class partner turned to head back to the group, glancing down to Haru with a touch of confusion furrowing his brow until realization dawned on him.  He bit his lip and glanced between the group of classmates and Haru as though they'd offer a more convenient explanation.

"Don't think he believed you when you said we'd study." Haru offered up unhelpfully.

"Haru!" the brunet whined, burying his face in his hands.

"Let's go, it's already dark," the shorter boy suggested, reaching up to pull Makoto's hands from his face, holding his fingers in his own between them.

"Mm…okay…" Makoto sighed, offering up a small smile, green eyes drifting down to rest on their connected hands.

They held hands on the entire walk back to Haru's apartment, only letting go when it was finally time to unlock the door.

* * *

"You're hair is getting longer," Haru spoke up, running his fingers gently through the soft brown locks at Makoto's temple.

The tall boy hummed curiously, tilting his head back against the bed to peer up at Haru from an upside-down angle beneath him.  Light shined on his glasses and he winced, dropping his pencil to the notebook in his lap to reach up to adjust his frames.

"Is it?  Maybe I should get it cut soon," he said, smiling softly up at Haru.

The dark haired boy adjusted his knees and Makoto arched his back to give him space to move his legs but dropped right back against his shins.  Haru sniffed and carded fingers through his hair again, holding it out to compare length.  Makoto's eyes fluttered shut and he tilted his head into Haru's touch, his shoulders sinking as he sighed.  From above, Haru paused and watched his face, glancing down to his hands in his lap, long fingers twitching against the page of the notebook.

Haru's fingers glided down from Makoto's hair, tracing the edge of his cheek and down his jaw.  Curling his fingers below his chin, Haru brushed his thumb over the soft pink flesh of Makoto's lower lip.  Green eyes opened and stared up at him curiously as Haru continued watching him, the fingers of his other hand floating down over the brunet's throat.  When Makoto swallowed, Haru felt it, and when Haru's lips parted, Makoto's cheeks flushed pink and he pressed a kiss to Haru's thumb.

"Are you done studying?" Haru asked quietly.

"Mm, sort of, late class tomorrow afternoon though." 

"Same, then…take off your glasses."

Makoto's face reddened and he sighed against Haru's thumb, pushing himself up and setting his notebook aside.  Slipping his glasses off, he folded them and put them aside with his notebook as Haru scooted back on the bed, slipping his sweatpants off his hips.  The tall boy turned and paused, watching as Haru pulled back the sheets on his bed and pushed up pillows effortlessly.

Haru looked up then, catching Makoto's green gaze and he tilted his head.  It was a small gesture that made the tall boy's face warm and his lips curl into a crescent of a smile.  Pressing his knees onto the mattress, Makoto looked down as he crawled towards Haru, stopping an arm's length away.  Reaching out for him, Haru cupped his cheek in his hand to tilt his face upwards to look at him.

Looking up through his lashes, Makoto's smile trembled a little in nervousness but the adoration underneath… the trust pulsing in his fingers as he reached up to hold Haru's wrist…the restless need filling the air between them…

"Never show that to anyone else" was a loud thought in Haru's head, but when Makoto's breath hitched and his sweet green eyes widened in surprise, Haru felt heat in his cheeks.  Louder than he thought.

"H-Haru…!" the brunet whispered, his fingers tightening around Haru's wrist.

"M…" Haru started in surprise, almost unable to breathe the way his heart jumped up his throat in nervousness at that moment.

Makoto looked down again to the bed and Haru winced, but the tall boy's warm hand didn't leave his wrist, only squeezing him tightly.

Hesitantly brushing his thumb near the corner of Makoto's mouth, Haru furrowed his brow and went to lean closer when Makoto finally looked up.  His thick brows knit thoughtfully and eyes were searching to connect with Haru's blues, then he saw it.  The brunet bit his lower lip just a bit, his teeth dragging across the pink flesh and Haru inhaled deeply as it clicked.

Makoto was embarrassed.

"Sorry," the shorter boy began to say, still feeling heat in his own face from the admission in the first place, but Makoto surprised him when he shook his head.

"Nn…only you…" he said quietly, audibly sucking in a breath as he seemed to put on a brave face that did little to hide his darkening blush.  "I just want Haru…to see me like this…" he panted out, voice softening.

"No one else," Haru agreed, thoughts of the others from dinner falling away like melting ice as he closed the distance between them and met Makoto's lips with his own.

The brunet keened quietly into the kiss, running his hand down Haru's arm to grasp the soft cloth sleeve at his shoulder.  Haru mouthed at Makoto's lower lip, dragging his teeth over the soft skin and wrapping an arm around Makoto's neck to bring him in closer.  Shivering at the touch, Makoto pressed a kiss to the corner of Haru's mouth.

"Is it okay?" Haru asked between kisses, tugging at the back of Makoto's shirt.

The tall boy paused, pressing his forehead against Haru's.

"Y-yeah, because it's Haru," he said, pulling away to flash a smile.

With careful hands, they pulled off each other's shirts and cast them aside.  Makoto's fingers trailed over the streamlined definition of Haru's body as the dark haired boy pushed him back against the pillows.  Looking up, pupils wide in lust and affection, Makoto bit his lip as Haru balanced over him.  Fingers brushed over Makoto's thigh and under his knee, directing him to lift up his leg so he could ghost his fingertips down the soft taught flesh on the back of his thigh.

Quivering excitedly, Makoto tilted his head back, still smiling up at Haru as the other drew in for another kiss.  Pressing his lips down the line of Makoto's jaw and up against his throat, Haru breathed in the warmth of Makoto's scent and the weak fragrance of his own laundry detergent.  Nuzzling his jaw attentively, Haru drew back to get another look at his face.  Gentle half-lidded eyes met his own, cheeks colored and lips curved upwards.  Makoto lifted a hand to brush his fingers through Haru's bangs.

"Only me?" Haru asked softly, less a question and more a small flirtation.

"Only you," Makoto agreed with an eager little nod.

That look, that smile, they were his.  It was a reassuring comfort in his chest that made his knees go weak and his mouth go dry.

"I like Makoto." he murmured, licking his lips.

Makoto flushed red and turned his head against the pillow as Haru laughed and nudged his knee between Makoto's thighs.  
  
"Ahh, Haru," the tall boy gasped, humming and shifting beneath him.  
  
Haru stole the rest of his words with a warm kiss.


End file.
